To say I was sceptical of this would be putting it lightly. I was so 'sceptical' because the little we saw of Carrie in Malibu proved she'd be a tough one, because I had 0 interest in tennis and because I didn't understand how those two combined could compare to the other three instalments in this companion-type-series, let alone make for a finale/last book in this style (I'm not sure if she'll write anymore like this or not, I had just heard in an interview that this was the last f the companion-style quartet.)

But boy oh boy I was wrong. This made me so emotional that it's been a few hours since I finished the book but even thinking about it and writing this my eyes are starting to sting again. My gut feeling is to say that I'm not sure if it does measure up to the other three but I think it's more so that this one is just different.

It feels much simpler than the others. They all jump in and out of time and have weaving, layered plots. While this one is in chronological order, solely from Carrie's PoV (save for the transcripts and articles thrown in.) But because of that, it does also feel much more personal and character-driven and it needed to be. There was no other way for this story to be told. (Especially since this story also felt very personal to the author in my opinion.)

Does it feel like a grand finale to this universe? No? But I also can't say that we didn't go out with a bang and I loved this book enough that I'd take having it in the world over having an insanely exciting final book.

I don't think it's Daisy Jones level, but it might be second place out of the four. Much deliberating needs to be be done.

Moral of the story: don't judge a book by it's seemingly awful main character or tennisy premise (or it's somewhat questionable cover